Venetian blind structure



Oct. 1, 1940. w. J. STU-BER 4 2,216,678

VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M/ Ma 25 thickness in relation to that of the slats.

Patented Oct. 1, 1940' PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND STRUCTURE Walter J. Stuber, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Carey-McFall Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 7, 1939, Serial No. 255,119- 1 Claim. (Cl. 156-47) This invention relates to Venetian blinds. and more particularly to what is commonly termed the tilt-rail" of the blind, i; e. a bar, usually composed of wood, to which the slat supporting ladder tapes of the blind are secured and which is provided with trunnions at its opposite ends journaled in brackets secured to and depending from the lower side of the head-rail. The head-rail is adapted to be supported on brackets secured to the side rails or top rail of a window frame, adjacent the latter, and carries the operating mechanism of the blind such as the-.elevating pulleys and 'cord lock. in addition to the tilt-rail brackets, one of which carries the mechanism by which the tilt-rail, and consequently the slats supported thereby, is rocked transversely to set the slats at any desired angle relative to the horizontal.

Heretofore, it has been deemed necessary to 20 make the tilt-rail of heavy construction, to support the weight of the slats and to prevent splitting of the tilt-rail at the trunnions. Such heavy construction gives the tilt-rail an awkward clumsy and undesirable appearance, due to its Also the heavier the wood the greater the cost of the tilt-rail and this in mass production amounts to a considerable item of cost.

The objects of the present invention are to to reduce the thickness of the tilt-rail; to provide means for preventing splitting of the thinner tilt-rail; to provide support, in addition to the trunnions, for the thinner tilt-rail in blinds of extra width; and to provide for readily detaching 3.3 the tilt rail from its trunnions and central support for facilitating installation of the blind and for cleaning puroses.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a window frame with a Venetian 40 blind installed therein;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tilt-rail and head-rail and sufficient of the other elements of the Venetian blind to illustrate the present inventidn;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation showing the support for one end of the tilt-rail;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation showing the support for the opposite 50 end of the tilt-rail;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the center support for the tilt-rail, as taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the split pre- 55 venting means;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of split preventing means; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the means of Fig. '7 installed on one end of a tilt-rail;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation showing a modified trunnion support for one end of the tilt rail;

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views of details of the invention; and

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the tilt-rail rocking mechanism.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the head-rail of a Venetian blind is illustrated at I, the tilt-rail at 2, and the supporting brackets for the tilt-rail 15 at 3 and 4 respectively as being secured to the undersideof the head rail I. r

The slats 5 and bottom rail 6 are supported by laterally spaced ladder tapes 1, l which are secured to the tilt-rail 2. Elevating cords for the bottom rail 6 and slats 5, 5 are shown at 8. These cords pass around pulleys H), H' and I2 in the head rail l and through a cord locking mechanism it carried by the bracket 4, as'shown in Fig. 2.

A worm wheel segment I5 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 3 and is provided with a flange i6 extending perpendicular to the plane of said segment, for supporting one end of the tilt-rail 2. .The opposite end of the tilt-rail 2.is supported by a trunnion I1 joumaled in the bracket 4. The trunnion I! is axially aligned, or substantially so, with the pivot M of the segment l5.

In order to prevent splitting of the opposite ends respectively of the tilt-rail 2 each end is provided with a cap or ferrule 20, which in the present instance is composed of a sheet metal stamping and comprises an end wall 2|, side or end walls 22, 22 and top and bottom walls 23 and 24 respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

The end walls 22, 22 are arranged in convergent relationship to each other to fit correspondingly tapered ends of the tilt-rail 2.

.The ferrules 20 are preferably force fitted to the ends of the tilt-rail to hold the wood or equivalent material of which the rail 2 is composed in a more or less compressed state to discourage any tendency toward splitting. However, as shown in the ferrule 20a of Figs. 7 and 8, one or both of the top and bottom walls 230. and/or 24a may be provided with a prong 25 pressed out of the metal of the ferrule or cap into the wood of the tilt rail to prevent the ferrule from slipping off the end of the rail. A dowel, tack or other medium driven into the wood through a suitable opening formed in the cap or ferrule will serve the same purpose, or a suitable cementitlous material may be employed between the interior of the cap or ferrule and the exterior surfaces of the end of the rail 2, if desired.

The ferrule or cap on the end of the tilt-rail 2 lying adjacent the bracket 3 is preferably provided with an elongated slot 23 in the wall 2i thereof, adjacent and parallel to the bottom wall 24, for reception of the tongue or flange l3 of the worm wheel segment i3, whereby the end-of the tilt-rail 2 is supported by and keyed to the wormwheel ii) for rocking therewith and thereby.

The ferrule or .cap 29 on the opposite end of the tilt-rail 2 is provided with a centralized opening 21 in the wall 2| of the cap or ferrule for reception of the'trunnion 1.

- In some instances the trunnion may be of the fixed type as shown at I10. in Fig. 9, driven into or otherwise seated in an opening 23 formed in the end of the tilt-rail.

Preferably the trunnion i1 is of the retractable type and comprises a pin slidably mounted in the opening 21 formed in the cap or ferrule 20 with an annular shoulder or flange 29 formed thereon intermediate the opposite ends thereof and disposed in an opening 30 formed in the end of the tilt-rail, as shown in Fig. 4, 'with a compression spring 3| seated in the base of said opening 30 and bearing against the inner surface of the annular flange 29 to force the trunnion i1 axially outward from the end of the tilt-rail 2 into a bearing or journal 32 formed in the bracket 4.

In order to retract the trunnion l1 from its journal 32, a finger release element 33 having a leg 34 disposed between the outer surface of the collar or flange 29 of said trunnion and the inner surface of the wall 2| of the cap or ferrule 20 is provided. The leg 34 projects through a slot 33 formed in the upper wall 23 of the ferrule and is formed with a main body portion 33 which rides on the upper wall 23 of the ferrule and normally closes the slot 33. An outward lug or protuberance 31 is formed at the opposite end of the body 33 to facilitate inward movement of the trunnion l1.

When the retractable trunnion I1 is used the opposite end of the tilt-rail is cut away as at 39,

above the tongue I3 of segment i3 in order that,

upon retracting the trunnion i1 that end of the tilt-bar in which the trunnion is located may be swung downwardly, using the flange i3 of the segment i3 as a fulcrum. The end of the tilt-bar 2 lying adjacent the segment i3 may then be slipped oil the flange or tongue i3 to release the tilt-bar completely from its end supporting means.

The tilting of the tilt-bar 2 is accomplished, as noted above, by rocking the segment l3 about its pivot i4 and this is effected through a worm 40, see Fig. 12, which meshes with the teeth of the segment i3. The worm 40 is fixed to one end of a shaft 4| which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 42 formed on or in the bracket 3. The opposite end of the shaft 4| has secured thereto a rope or cord sheave 43 around and depending from opposite sides of which is a tiltcord 43 by which rotation of the sheave 43, shaft 4| and worm 40 may be produced.

In some instances, particularly if the blind is of extra width, 1. e. a width, for example, in excess of thirty inches, it is advisable to provide additional support for the tilt-rail intermediate the brackets 3 and 4 and for this purpose the 7g tilt-rail 2 is provided with a vertically extending amae're flange 33 formed of a plate 3| having a right angle bend 32 secured by screws 33 to the upper surface'of the tilt-rail 2. The plate 3| is provided with an arcuate slot 34 formed about a center substantially coinciding with the axis of the trunnion l1 and the worm wheel segment i3.

Secured to the underside of the head-rail is a similar plate 33 having an arcuate slot 36 formed therein which is substantially concentric to the slot 34 of the plate 3|. Connecting the plate 3| and 33 is a freely movable link 31 which is provided at one of its ends with a headed stud 39 mounted in the slot 34 of the plate 3| and by which free movement throughout the length of the arc of the slot of the stud 33 within the slot is permitted. The opposite end of the link 31 is provided with a hook portion 39 which passes through the slot 33 formed in the plate 33 attached to the head rail, the end of the hook 39 passing to the opposite side of the plate 33 The arrangement and the hook 39 sliding in the slot 33 of the plates 3| and 33 respectively.

The central support provided through the link 31 is readily'detachable from'the head rail i by flexing the tilt-rail 2 upwardly until the lower moved laterally with respect to the plate 33 until the lower edge 30 of the hook 39 passes outwardly over the lower edge of the slot 33, there being sufllcient relative movement permitted between the link 31'and the head of the stud 33 to provide for suflicient lateral movement of the link 31 to effect its release from the plate 33.

Preferably when the center support is used the link 31 is released from the plate 33 prior to the release of the trunnion l1 from its bearing in the bracket 4. Thus, the trunnion l1 may be retracted and the tilt-bar swung downwardly without hindrance from the center support. In reinstalling the tilt-bar the one end' thereof is first positioned on the tongue or flange iii of the worm wheel segment i3 and with the trunnion |1 retracted the opposite end of the tiltrail is swung upwardly untitl the trunnion i1 is in line with its bearing 32 in the bracket 4 whereupon release of the finger element 33 will permit the spring 3| to project the trunnion i1 into its bearing 32 leaving the tilt-rail supported at its opposite ends by the brackets 3 and 4 respectively. By flexing the tilt-rail upwardly in the manner above noted the central supporting link 31 may then be replacedin the slot 33 of the plate 33 to provide the necessary support at the center of the tilt-rail.

I claim:

In a Venetian blind comprising a tilt-rail.

' opening formed in the end of said tilt-rail for readily detachable means pivotally subporting each of the opposite ends of said tilt-rail and intermediate said ends thereof, the pivotal support at one end of said tilt-rail comprising a retractable trunnion slidably mounted in the end of said tilt-rail, a ferrule on said end of said tilt-rail provided with an opening through which said trunnion projects, a spring mounted in an slidably supporting said trunnion tor projecting the trunnion outwardly through the opening formed in the ferrule and a finger release element connected with said trunnion and proiecb, ing laterally therefrom through a. slot formed in said ferrule.

WALTER J. em. 

